Mercyhurst loses, remains in contention for PSAC baseball title

4:55 a.m. EST, May 4, 2012|Erie Times-News, Pa

BUTLER — The Mercyhurst baseball team dropped a 7-3 decision to Shippensburg in the PSAC tournament at Pullman Park in Butler Thursday.

The Lakers remain alive in the tournament, although the loss was costly, as a defeat in either of the Lakers' two games today would knock them out of the tournament. They are trying to repeat as PSAC tournament champions.

Mercyhurst took an early 2-1 lead in the bottom of the first inning Thursday, as Shane Latshaw and Ethan Santora had RBI singles.

Shippensburg's Jimmy Miller tied the game at 2-2 in the fourth inning with an RBI single off Mercyhurst starter Eric Aschley.

Both teams then traded runs in the fifth inning. After Shippensburg took a 3-2 lead, the Lakers responded when Kolin McMillen hit a one-out single and scored on Latshaw's double down the left-field line.

With two outs in the sixth inning, Miller put the Raiders in front 4-3 when he singled, stole second and scored on Tyler Basso's double. Shippensburg scored three runs in the seventh inning to put the game away.

Nick Umberger pitched a complete game with eight strikeouts for Shippensburg (32-19).

McMillen had three hits and two runs scored. Latshaw and Santora each had two hits for Mercyhurst (36-14).

Mercyhurst will play Millersville today at 12:30 p.m. If Mercyhurst wins, they will play Kutztown at 6:30 p.m. If the Lakers were to lose today, they would hope for an NCAA berth.